Kentucky plaintiffs drop abuse suit against Vatican

Three Kentucky plaintiffs have abandoned a lawsuit that sought to make the Vatican responsible for clerical abuse that took place in the United States. Similar lawsuits have been filed in Oregon and Wisconsin.

“This development confirms that, contrary to what the plaintiffs’ lawyers repeatedly told the media, there has never been a Holy See policy requiring concealment of child sexual abuse,” said Jeffrey Lena, the attorney representing the Holy See. “The theory crafted by the plaintiffs’ lawyers six years ago misled the American public.”

“That the case against the Holy See always lacked merit does not mean that the plaintiffs themselves did not suffer as a result of sexual abuse,” he added. “But bringing this case only distracted from the important goal of protecting children from harm.”